1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to ice skates and, more particularly, to an ice skate blade with an improved configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
As it is known, an ice skate includes a skate boot, an ice skate blade holder supporting the skate boot and fastened thereto and an ice skate blade removably secured to the ice skate blade holder, or incorporated into the latter.
Many attempts have been made to extend the life of ice skate blades.
Generally, the ice skate blades are formed from hardened steel, such as high carbon steel and are able to withstand the forces encountered during various skating activities (speed skating, ice hockey, figure skating, etc.). Each of these activities may use slightly different ice skate blades that have been developed in response to users requirements.
Thus, ice skate blades must be able to withstand periodic contouring according to the requirements of each of the foregoing activities and preferences of each skater. In addition, ice skate blades require periodic sharpening (grinding) to maintain a sharp edge that provides an adequate gliding ability.
Both sharpening and contouring involve removing a portion of the material from which the ice skate blade is formed.
The amount of material removed may vary substantially, based on the condition of the ice skate blade and the force used during sharpening and/or contouring. Thus, ice skate blades eventually wear out and must be replaced after repeated sharpening and/or contouring.
Other materials used for ice skate blades are light weight, but have their setbacks. For example, ceramics are known to have a high hardness and light weight. However, these materials have a fracture toughness too low, to justify the replacement of hardened steel.
Although steel is the most widely used for ice skate blades, it constitutes one of the heavier components of an ice skate. Thus, the means to reduce the overall weight of an ice skate have focused on decreasing the weight of the ice skate blade itself. One of such means involved providing a plurality of apertures in the ice skate blade.
Another means to reduce the weight of an ice skate blade consists in applying a relatively thin strip of special steel in the contact zone with the ice. Because the steel strip on such ice skate blade is relatively thin, the ice skate blade cannot be sharpened or contoured.
As can be seen from the previous analysis, the predominant trend in ice skate blades design can be characterized by the use of a) hardened steel and b) apertures for weight reduction.
The following disclosures relate to various types of ice skates and/or ice skate blades thereof: Nicoletti et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,033, issued Nov. 26, 2002); Pawlowski et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,328, issued Mar. 21, 2000); Sakcriska (U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,428, issued Apr. 27, 1999; and Allinger et al. (Canadian Patent No. 2,306,167, issued Sep. 2, 2003).
The inventor believes that the cited disclosures taken alone or in combination neither anticipate, nor render obvious the present invention. The foregoing citation does not constitute an admission that such disclosures are relevant or material to the claimed subject matter. Rather, the disclosures relate only to the field of invention and are cited as constituting the closest art of which the inventors are aware.